The Jay Kincaid Blog Is Back!
Jay Kincaid has been paddling over half of his lifetime, and is back to blog about his life as a professional kayaker. As 2003 Freestyle Kayaking World Champion, 2001 U.S. National Champion and three-time U.S. Point Series Champion, Jay is the most proud of the many first descents he’s done on rivers and waterfalls in his native Oregon and in California. When asked about his goals in kayaking, Jay said, “I want to simply be the absolute best that I can be. I feel that I was given a gift for kayaking, and in the end I want to know that I gave it my all never cheating myself or the sport.”
The last 15 months have sure been crazy for me. I spent a lot of time in 2004 injured with one thing or another. I had torn cartilage in my ribs, strained muscles in my neck, tendonitis in my hand, tendonitis in my knee, and far too many random pains. In the last few years I have really tried to focus on the little things in my training to ensure that I don’t have times like this, so it is beyond me why I haven’t felt healthy in so long. Very frustrating but just bad luck I hope. So, I am saying it now. My goal for 2005 is to stay injury free. Athletically, not all was bad in the last year though. Somehow I managed to win 6 of the 7 freestyle events that I entered, and got some amazing “free time” kayaking in as well.
The 2005 World Championships were this January. I spent six weeks before the event not paddling due to a neck injury which certainly wasn’t ideal. Then maybe the hardest personal hit of my career came when I finished 3rd and was not able to defend my title. Do I believe that it was because of injuries? No, not really. I believed that I was still paddling well enough to beat anyone, and I put myself in a good position to win, but somehow I just didn’t get it done when I really needed to. I have spent countless hours trying to figure out what happened and in the end I could come up with nothing positive, so I’ve let it go… Now it is all behind me. I have refocused on my training and am ready to get back to the same old me. I do know one thing with out question. I would put my money on me every time in that very same position.
Now, I am hanging out in Reno. The weather is amazing, the river is up, and life is good. I have a great girlfriend, a great dog, a house that is slowly coming along, awesome friends, my family, and life is good. I have been getting back in good shape, which is very important to me, and becoming a better kayaker, which has been a constant goal for almost 15 years now.
Locally it is really good to see the paddling community coming out of hibernation. I am starting to see those familiar faces on the water again and that is more fun for me then most people know.
All I have to say is that if you haven’t yet been out enjoying the higher water and the warm weather then you should really think about treating yourself better.
